Abstract
We compared plasma concentrations of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) between 16 asthmatic children using an ultrasonic nebulizer (NE-U07; n=14) and a compressed air nebulizer (Voyage; n=7) to estimate drug accessibility to the lung. Mean plasma concentration of DSCG at 5 min and 30 min after inhalation, and the mean area under the curve up to 30 min after inhalation in NE-U07 group (7.47ng/ml, 6.00ng/ml, 187.09min · ng/ml) were higher than those in Voyage group (3.17ng/ml, 2.50ng/ml, 78.81min · ng/ml) significantly (p=0.03, p=0.002, p=0.001, respectively). The percentage of patients whose plasma concentrations of DSCG at 5 min after inhalation were exceeded 4ng/ml, the level of which was reported to be more effective to protect asthmatic attacks, was higher in NE-U07 group (86%) than in Voyage group (29%). Moreover, the number of patients who has effective plasma concentrations of DSCG was significantly differed between two types of nebulizers (p=0.05). We estimated that, in asthmatic children, the amount of DSCG accessible to the lung using ultrasonic nebulizers might be more than that using compressed air nebulizers. These results were confirmed by our previous report in healthy adults.
